Cornelius Boza-Edwards question

[Old bones Ian]

Just been watching some of Boza-Edwards fights, and he was in some great battles, He was slightly before my time, and i was wondering why he doesn't get mentioned more when British world champs are discussed?
Was he more thought of as a Ugandan fighting on these shores, instead of being thought of as a naturalized British boxer,

[rhino222]

I can remember him being a class operator in his day. a few great british fighters get no mention in this day and age..... dennis andries?

[Old bones Ian]

Yeah agree. got a few of Boza Edwards fights, and we would be going mad for him nowadays. Really good box-fighter, had a punch on him as well.
For some reason he fought completely wrong when losing his world title to Rolando Navarrete, but thats boxing , sometimes it just isn't your day.

But his fights against Bobby Chacon are tremendous, both showed the best and the frailties in each boxer. The 2nd one gets fight of the year by the Ring magazine.

[rhino222]

good call, Maurice hope was a tremendous boxer.

[MightyWarrior]

He just never caught on over here, was mainly thought of as a Ugandan import, though he definitely fought as a Brit when in the US. Only the hardcore fan over here really knew of him - but in the US, he was seen as one of the most exciting TV fighters of his era: featured in some amazing battles with Bazooka Limon - the Mexican nut case who unforgivably reminded Boza before they fought, what had happened the last time a Mexican fought a Brit ( Johnny Owen RIP ) .

Unfortunately, the one time Boza was featured live on UK TV as a world champ, it was when the unfancied late sub Rolando Navarette shockingly flattened him in a massive upset.

I loved it when he was brought back to the US as cannon fodder for the big US hope at the time, John The Heat Verderosa - Boza absolutely annihilated him.

[bennie]

Boza earned plenty of copy as a young man who fled the Idi Amin reign of terror in Uganda in the early 1970s (and he took his Edwards name from a British businessman, Jack Edwards, who also fled Amin and put up Boza in London) and he boxed as a raw amateur in Tottenham, reaching an ABA semi-final where he ran into a brilliant-boxing Pat Cowdell, before turning pro with Mickey Duff and blitzing his way through early domestic opposition on big London bills.
Boza was heavy handed, brave and dedicated, and Duff took a gamble when he put him in with WBC super-featherweight champion Alexis Arguello in a 10-rounder in the States in 1980. Arguello wore him down over eight tough rounds but Boza had impressed the TV moguls in the days when all the major American networks screened boxing, which meant that Duff was able to keep billing him in the States, particularly after Boza trounced Bazooka Limon over 15 thrilling rounds for the WBC title vacated by Arguello. Boza lost the belt quickly but continued to feature in thrilling fights at the weight before moving up to lightweight and staying in demand for much of the 1980s. As regards the 'British' angle, Boza was clearly a refugee and his grasp of English was highly acceptable if hardly fluid. He married an English girl but she died tragically young.
Ultimately, Boza commanded (and still does) great affection in this country.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Wasn't Boza a EBU European champion at super featherweight?

[funso banjo baby]

He was superb.

[hurlock]

Funny I was thinking Maurice hope!! Haven't heard too much on him.

John Mugabi was based over here but everyone has heard stories on his life partying, sparring the hardest hitter hagler said he faced etc.

[ERIC GUY]

Boza beat Steve Holdsworth as an amateur!!

[Deserter]

Boza earned plenty of copy as a young man who fled the Idi Amin reign of terror in Uganda in the early 1970s (and he took his Edwards name from a British businessman, Jack Edwards, who also fled Amin and put up Boza in London) and he boxed as a raw amateur in Tottenham, reaching an ABA semi-final where he ran into a brilliant-boxing Pat Cowdell, before turning pro with Mickey Duff and blitzing his way through early domestic opposition on big London bills.
Boza was heavy handed, brave and dedicated, and Duff took a gamble when he put him in with WBC super-featherweight champion Alexis Arguello in a 10-rounder in the States in 1980. Arguello wore him down over eight tough rounds but Boza had impressed the TV moguls in the days when all the major American networks screened boxing, which meant that Duff was able to keep billing him in the States, particularly after Boza trounced Bazooka Limon over 15 thrilling rounds for the WBC title vacated by Arguello. Boza lost the belt quickly but continued to feature in thrilling fights at the weight before moving up to lightweight and staying in demand for much of the 1980s. As regards the 'British' angle, Boza was clearly a refugee and his grasp of English was highly acceptable if hardly fluid. He married an English girl but she died tragically young.
Ultimately, Boza commanded (and still does) great affection in this country.

Bennie, please post more often!

[Old bones Ian]

Uploaded some of Boza-Edwards fights on youtube.

Cornelius Boza Edwards v John Verderosa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76Xi2GE3xOI

Boza Edwards v Melvin Paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzUrE4wDJwc

Cornelius Boza-Edwards vs Terrence Alli

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g6h-lAspYI